Does being Sexually Abused Justify a Vendetta against anyone who commits a sex crime
Weekly Update 2017-08-16
Dear Members and Advocates,
This week’s update covers an extremely sensitive topic. Now we know what you must be thinking… sex offender issues are always “sensitive topics”, but this topic is extra sensitive. This week we will be discussing Senator Lauren Book. For those who don’t know, Lauren Book is the daughter of lobbyist Ron Book. As a child, Ms. Book was the victim of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of the family’s nanny. Today, the Books are the architects of much of the sex offender laws in our State.
If you live in South Florida, you probably see Lauren Book promoted on billboards along the major highways. Her organization, Lauren’s Kids, receives millions annually from the State. Fliers asking you to purchase her specialty license plate are included in your DMV renewal envelopes and if you live in Broward County, the second most populous County in the State, she potentially represents you in the Senate.
We all agree that what happened to Lauren as a child was tragic. FAC shares a common goal with Lauren in seeking to end the cycle of abuse. However, our paths to reach that common goal diverge radically.
The reason Lauren Book is relevant this week is because of a case pending in Broward County Court in which Ms. Book seeks a restraining order against Derek Logue, an outspoken advocate against the registry and one of the organizers of the “Rally in Tally”, a peaceful demonstration that took place during her “Walk in My Shoes” event. Last week, a Circuit Court Judge rejected her request for a temporary restraining order against Logue (who doesn’t even live in the state), citing insufficient evidence showing any immediate threat.
While our approach in opposing the registry and its associated requirements may be a bit more diplomatic than other advocates – partly because our members must live with the wrath that inevitably comes in the aftermath of speaking out against the Books, our approach is no less aggressive. The lawsuit we initiated in Miami-Dade County challenged the County’s Sex Offender Residency Ordinance (SORR) which is named “The Lauren Book Child Safety Ordinance”.
After years in effect, that SORR has proven to do more harm than good. It has created a homeless encampment of over 250 individuals now living alongside railroad tracks after being shuffled from the Julia Tuttle Bridge and then Shorecrest (Bookville I, II and now III). It is a public health and safety nightmare which defies humanity and logic, especially considering numerous studies have shown that transience increases recidivism.
The problem is even though we all have the common goal of increasing public safety and ending the cycle of abuse, no politician is willing to strike down the ineffective “Lauren Book Child Safety Ordinance” because it contains the words “Lauren Book” and “Child Safety”. Simply put, if someone came out with “The Mother Theresa Don’t Kick Puppies Act” – who would have the audacity to vote against it, no matter what it said?
Lauren Book’s constituents undoubtedly must be concerned about the huge encampment of homeless sex offenders living in a shopping plaza in her County (over 100 and growing) and, as a representative of those constituents, she will ultimately have to address those concerns. She should also be consulting with probation and law enforcement in her County to see how the SORRs effect their ability to supervise and investigate new crimes. As a fiduciary, she has the responsibility to analyze how much money and resources are spent on enforcing the SORR vs. what could be spent on prevention.
One would hope that the Books are questioning whether “The Lauren Book Child Safety Ordinance” or even registration itself, had it existed at the time, would have prevented what happened to Lauren from happening. If not, could those resources be better allocated to elements of Lauren Book’s platform, such as educating children in “good touch, bad touch” and “it’s OK to tell” that could have prevented (or dramatically reduced) it?
Again, since we share a common goal of public safety and ending the cycle of sexual abuse, it is a huge shame that Lauren Book and the Florida Action Committee have not been able to come to the table or at least entertain a dialogue.
So, in connection with our mission and not to diminish our legislative, legal or advocacy work, FAC has reached out to Senator Lauren Book and has a meeting scheduled to begin this discussion.
Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee
SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK
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